(3 parts) Better subtitle/audio track support
Posted: 02 May 2019, 17:55
My expectations here level is in the negatives. This is a long-standing Kodi issue that probably hasn't even been addressed or acknowledged, and I've been meaning to tackle the source and start helping on it myself, but if I'm too lazy to bother starting, I can't really expect anyone else to magically pick up the slack 'cause this would be a lot of work for a tiny percentage of users. (too long; didn't read summary at bottom)
Part 1:
So anyhoo, this is currently the way Kodi 'n MrMC manage subtitle tracks:
1. Are subtitles enabled?
2. Start up the first track
2.a. Preferably in the user's preferred language
The process the player uses *should* actually be:
1. Are subtitles enabled?
2. Does this video file have a default, enabled subtitle track?
3.a. If not, do nothing.
3.b. If it does, switch to that track.
It would be awesome if MrMC used the latter logic. It kinda sucks to have to disable subtitles when I start watching films but then have to re-enable it when I start watching anything that's not in English, even though the English translation track is the default and is enabled.
Part 2:
This is going further above and beyond what the mainline source has attempted, so again, not even vaguely expected. It's also kinda niche in that it's an option used by people who watch anime and rip their own discs at home.
So VLC added two options to the M3U playlist format. They are really useful for anyone watching foreign language TV shows 'n animation:
#EXTVLCOPT:audio-track=0
#EXTVLCOPT:sub-track=0
Each one uses the first audio/subtitle track as "0", and any number above that as the subsequent track. So, anime typically has 2 subtitle tracks:
- The "dub" track. This one just translates intro/outtro songs (which are usually not dubbed over) and any on-screen signage. This one assumes the actual dialogue is dubbed into English.
- The "sub" track. This one translates the above along with any spoken dialogue
So if you have your own blu-ray or DVD that you ripped, you can just create two playlists to watch it in your preferred language:
- One that opens the English audio track 'n Dub subtitle track. If they're both the default tracks, you just set this for each file:
#EXTVLCOPT:audio-track=0
#EXTVLCOPT:sub-track=0
This Show I Love S01E01.mkv
- One that opens the Japanese audio track 'n subtitle track. Again, it would be set like this:
#EXTVLCOPT:audio-track=1
#EXTVLCOPT:sub-track=1
This Show I Love S01E01.mkv
As it currently stands, Kodi/MrMC just open the M3U file flat and play using the logic described in Part 1. It would be awesome if I could play an entire season of a show with offset track numbers via a playlist.
3. "Maintain track change between episodes" - This would be a great workaround for the problem detailed in #2. Basically an option for MrMC to keep in mind how the track listings were changed last time I played an episode from a TV show in my library.
As an example: I start episode 1 of a show. I change both the audio from track 0 to track 1 and the subtitles from track 0 to track 1 as well. MrMC saves that offset (+1 audio, +1 subtitle). When I play the next episode, if +1 audio and +1 subtitle doesn't fail (e.g. there's a 2nd track of each type), MrMC starts with those instead of the default tracks. This would also be awesome.
Too Long; Didn't Read Summary:
1. It would be awesome if MrMC properly followed the MKV specification for default/enabled subtitle tracks.
2. It would be deux awesome if MrMC parsed VLC's M3U playlist settings for opening a different subtitle/audio track with the file.
3. It would be trés awesome if MrMC simply remembered how I changed the subtitle and audio tracks for an episode of a TV show and then changed them for me when I started up a different episode.
To anyone who reads this, thanks for your time. I'm only even bringing this up because MrMC is already ahead of the curve on interface options for changing subtitle/audio tracks. Even without any of the above, it's been well worth every dollar on iOS 'n tvOS.
Part 1:
So anyhoo, this is currently the way Kodi 'n MrMC manage subtitle tracks:
1. Are subtitles enabled?
2. Start up the first track
2.a. Preferably in the user's preferred language
The process the player uses *should* actually be:
1. Are subtitles enabled?
2. Does this video file have a default, enabled subtitle track?
3.a. If not, do nothing.
3.b. If it does, switch to that track.
It would be awesome if MrMC used the latter logic. It kinda sucks to have to disable subtitles when I start watching films but then have to re-enable it when I start watching anything that's not in English, even though the English translation track is the default and is enabled.
Part 2:
This is going further above and beyond what the mainline source has attempted, so again, not even vaguely expected. It's also kinda niche in that it's an option used by people who watch anime and rip their own discs at home.
So VLC added two options to the M3U playlist format. They are really useful for anyone watching foreign language TV shows 'n animation:
#EXTVLCOPT:audio-track=0
#EXTVLCOPT:sub-track=0
Each one uses the first audio/subtitle track as "0", and any number above that as the subsequent track. So, anime typically has 2 subtitle tracks:
- The "dub" track. This one just translates intro/outtro songs (which are usually not dubbed over) and any on-screen signage. This one assumes the actual dialogue is dubbed into English.
- The "sub" track. This one translates the above along with any spoken dialogue
So if you have your own blu-ray or DVD that you ripped, you can just create two playlists to watch it in your preferred language:
- One that opens the English audio track 'n Dub subtitle track. If they're both the default tracks, you just set this for each file:
#EXTVLCOPT:audio-track=0
#EXTVLCOPT:sub-track=0
This Show I Love S01E01.mkv
- One that opens the Japanese audio track 'n subtitle track. Again, it would be set like this:
#EXTVLCOPT:audio-track=1
#EXTVLCOPT:sub-track=1
This Show I Love S01E01.mkv
As it currently stands, Kodi/MrMC just open the M3U file flat and play using the logic described in Part 1. It would be awesome if I could play an entire season of a show with offset track numbers via a playlist.
3. "Maintain track change between episodes" - This would be a great workaround for the problem detailed in #2. Basically an option for MrMC to keep in mind how the track listings were changed last time I played an episode from a TV show in my library.
As an example: I start episode 1 of a show. I change both the audio from track 0 to track 1 and the subtitles from track 0 to track 1 as well. MrMC saves that offset (+1 audio, +1 subtitle). When I play the next episode, if +1 audio and +1 subtitle doesn't fail (e.g. there's a 2nd track of each type), MrMC starts with those instead of the default tracks. This would also be awesome.
Too Long; Didn't Read Summary:
1. It would be awesome if MrMC properly followed the MKV specification for default/enabled subtitle tracks.
2. It would be deux awesome if MrMC parsed VLC's M3U playlist settings for opening a different subtitle/audio track with the file.
3. It would be trés awesome if MrMC simply remembered how I changed the subtitle and audio tracks for an episode of a TV show and then changed them for me when I started up a different episode.
To anyone who reads this, thanks for your time. I'm only even bringing this up because MrMC is already ahead of the curve on interface options for changing subtitle/audio tracks. Even without any of the above, it's been well worth every dollar on iOS 'n tvOS.